Method of making wall tile sheets



Dec. 13, 1938'. c. BATCHELLER Y ,1 I METHOD OF MAKING WALL TILE. SHEETSI I Filed July 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill/11111111111111. 4

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METHOD OF MAKING WALL TILE SHEETS Filed July 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2//v VEN 7-02 Z'LEMENTS EA TZI'HELLER' 4 TQ/P/VE Y6 Patented Dec. 13,1938 UNITED STATES PATIENT OF'FIC E 12 Claims.

My invention relates to wall-tile sheets and particularly toimprovements in the method of scoring and pressing the same wherebycertain defects which are inherent in tile sheets of this character asmade by present processes are eliminated.

One of the methods employed at present in the art of producing tileoutlines on the surface of a cement asbestos sheet is to take such asheet after it has become sufficiently hydrated, place it upon a movingtable under a set of evenly spaced abrasive cutting discs and grind thetile outlines therein by moving the sheet under the cutting discs.Sheets scored in this way are mually scored upon 4" centers and afterthe sheet is scored in one direction, it is turned and scored in theother direction so that the surface is divided into a plurality of 4" X4" tile outlines. Such Wall-tile sheets are furnished to a standard sizeof 32 1:48 to match the usual. wall frame. It

will be apparent that the scoring of the surface of a sheet of this sizemust always be either on 4 X 4 or 8" x 8" centers to produce tileeffects to these over all dimensions.

This method of producing a scored tile outline in the product, inaddition to requiring much costly supplemental labor, also createscertain serious defects in the sheet. For example, all of the wall tilesheets that have been produced up to the time of the improvements in theart described in my copending application Serial No. 30,195, have beensurface colored by a seriesof pyroxylin undercoats, pigmented lacquersand clear lacquer coats. When such sheets are finally wheel-cut as abovedescribed, there is a very pronounced tendency for the hardened colorlacquer film to chip away at the edges of the scored groove and thusdisfigure the finished product.

To eliminate defects of this character, Walltile sheets have also beenproduced .by impressing the tile outline in the surface of the sheetwhile it is in an unset plastic state and by the use of speciallyprepared steel press plates which carry the tile outline. After thewall-tile sheet is finally lacquer-color-decorated a pin-stripe of whitelacquer is applied to the pressed grooves by means of a special airspray gun. It is obviously more expensive to produce tile outlines bythis method than by the method first described, and while the tiles areclearly outlined, the method isa purely superficial painting job and theresult is a poor simulation of the usual plaster or cement jointcharacteristic of individual tile settings.

My invention not only completely eliminates such defects as are alwaysapparent in products made by the above methods, but, in addition,permits the making of wall-tile sheets which are decidedly better copiesof individually set tile. Furthermore, by my methods, it is possible toproduce wall-tile sheets having staggered joints which cannotpractically be produced by any method of Wheel scoring. By my method, 4"X 4", 8" x 8", or 3" x 6".tiles withstaggered joints can be simulated.

By combining the features of the invention described in my United StatesLetters Patent No. 1,995,412, with the invention .described in mycopending application Serial No. 30,195 and the invention. describedherein, wall-tile sheets very closely simulating a section ofindividually set tiles of marble or other stone can be cheaply produced.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a conventional wall-tile sheet32" .X 48 (finished size) grooved to represent 4" x 4" individual tiles,and resting upon a steel pressingplate;

Fig. 2 is a sheet similar to ,Fig. 1 but drawn to a scale approximatelyone-half the size of Fig. 1 and showing .a sheet divided into 8" x 8"tiles with staggered joints;

Fig. 3 shows a sheet 48" X 48 scored to represent individual tiles 3" x6" in size set with staggered joints;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scaleof Fig. 1 in theplane 44;

Fig. '5 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scale of Fig. 1 in theplane 55;

Fig. .6 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scale of Fig. 1 in theplane66 Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of a mask for 4" x 4" tiles;

Figs. 8, '9, 10, 11 and 12 are fragmentary sec- I tions to an enlargedscale of Fig. 1 in the plane 88 showing the tile sheet at various stagesof its production;

Figs. 13 and 14 are fragmentary sections to an enlarged scale showing amodified procedure; and

Fig. 15 is -a fragmentary elevation view, partially in section,illustrating how my sheets are pressedin stacked form.

In scoring wall-tile-sheets according to my improved method I utilize amask which is blank cut to cover only those zones of the sheet which areintended to separate the tile units or, in other words, the mask is cutto represent the tile outline desired in the finished product. Such amask is preferably made from sheet steel, and due to the fact that myfinished product is only about A; in thickness, the thickness of thesteel mask should not exceed about While such a mask will produce, to adegree, the results which I wish to accomplish, I have found that asecondary mask of fairly heavy paper and having a rugose or pebbledsurface, coated, if desired, with a soluble dye of appropriate colorwhich is stable, in the presence of the alkali in the cement, ispreferably used; the purpose of the dye being to impart a color to thesimulated cement joints which outline the individual tiles. Thissecondary mask is of exactly the same size and outline as the steel maskand is attached thereto with any readily soluble adhesive to form thatside of the mask which comes in contact with the plastic sheet. Afragmentary portion of such a composite mask is shown in plan view at Iin Fig. '7 and in enlarged sectional views in Figs. 8 to- 12. In thesections, 2 represents the metal portion of the mask and 3 representsthe paper portion.

In carrying out my invention a suitable plastic cement composition,preferably that disclosed in my Letters Patent No. 1,995,412 andcontaining asbestos fibres, calcined magnesite, and a minor portion ofbentonite, and in which a portion of the calcined magnesite may bereplaced by Portland cement, is rolled into base or backing sheets ofthe desired size. These sheets 4 are placed upon steel press plates 4',which should be about 34" x 49" in size where a finished sheet of 32"x48" is desired. Upon the surface of each plastic sheet resting upon itssteel press plate is laid the composite mask above described with thepaper face down, and a series of such sheets, each resting upon itssteel press plate and carrying upon its face a composite mask, is builtup vertically into a stack. At the proper height, the stack is placedunder a hydraulic press and subjected to a moderate pressure sufficientto embed the masks in the plastic sheets beneath as shown in Fig.'l5.The stack is then withdrawnfrom the press and broken down.

Fig. 8 shows a fragmentary portion of the plastic sheet with the mask Iresting thereon, and Fig. 9 shows how the mask is embedded in the sheetafter it has been subjected to moderate pressure. The sheet is now readyto be surfaced.

My preferred procedure is to place a screen box, shown. in fragmentarydotted outline at 8 in Fig. 9, over the mask; it being understood thatthis box is an open screen conforming in plan to the mask and restingthereon to form a plurality of compartments into which the material forthe surface is placed and which serves merely to prevent the surfacematerial from. being deposited on the mask. A dry mixture of suitablematerials such, for example, as disclosed in my copending applicationSerial No. 30,195 and comprising principally marble dust and calcinedmagnesite with minor portions of Portland ce ment and bentonite, andwith or without a color pigment, is distributed uniformly in thecompartments. The screen box is then removed leaving the surfacingmaterial 5, as shown in Fig. 10, only on those portions of the'basesheet which are to'form the individual tiles.

' The stack of sheets is then rebuilt and placed in a hydraulic presswhere it is subjected to pressure of the order of about 4000 pounds .ormore per square inch. This pressure will effect a concretion of thesurface material with the material of the plastic sheet and the wholewill be compacted into a dense mass such as shown in Fig. 11. Thispressure also causes the sheet to increase somewhat in size laterally sothat the sides extend out to about the position of the dotted lines 6and 1 shown in Fig. 1. It is to be understood that .by the termconcretion I mean that the surfacing material 5 is forced into andcoalesces with the base material of the plastic sheet to form anintegral unit.

After the sheets are removed from the press and unstacked, the steelmask sheet is carefully removed. Because of the solubility of theadhesive with which the paper portion of the mask was attached to themetal portion, the metal portion can be removed without removing thepaper portion which latter is permitted to remain in the grooves for avery definite purpose and is not finally removed until the sheet iscompletely finished.

After removing the metal portion of the mask the sheets are subjected toa curing treatment in the usual moist room, and, when thoroughlyhardened by the curing treatment, may be surface polished by rollerbufiing, wheel polishing, sanding, etc. They may likewise be surfacetreated, impregnated or further colored by any means as outlined in myPatent No. 1,995,412 or in my copending application Serial No. 30,195.

By reason of the fact that the paper mask is allowed to remain in thepressed sheet until after the final finishing operation, it serves toprotect the white tile outline which has been pressed into the sheetsurface from discoloration or other damage. After the wall-tile sheethas been otherwise completely finished, it is a simple matter to removethe paper mask and a clear-cut white tile outline will be found beneath.

I prefer that the paper used in the mask shall have a rugose or pebbledsurface for the purpose of imparting a roughened surface to the tileoutline so that a more natural simulation of the usual white plasterjoint is attained. This effect is entirely lacking where the tile isscored by an abrasive wheel.

After the sheets are finished the overlapping portion 9, includedbetween the solid line I!) and the dotted line H, is cut off by sawingor otherwise, and at the other lateral edge of the sheet, the portionI2, included between the solid line I3 and the dotted line I4, is alsoremoved.

This leaves along the left hand side edge of the sheet as shown in Fig.1 a depressed ledge I5 of the same width and depth as the grooves 16(see Fig. 4), so that a uniform tile effect may be attained by abuttingtwo or more sheets together laterally. It is understood, of course, thatthe tops and bottoms of the sheets are also cut to the proper size. 7

While, as stated above, I prefer to apply the top mixture in dry form,it will be apparent that this is not absolutely necessary. Instead, Imay proceed as follows:

After, or simultaneously with the formation of the base sheets, I mayform thin plastic sheets I6 of the mixture intended to form the tilefaces or surfaces and of a size coextensive with the base sheets. Theseface sheets are then placed upon the base sheets as'shown in Fig. 13,and a composite mask is placed on top of each face sheet; it beingunderstood, of course, that .the base sheets are resting on steel pressplates. p

A stack of these sheets, each resting upon its steel plate, is then madeup and subjected to pressure of the order of about 4000 pounds persquare inch which will effect a concretion of the face and base sheetsinto an integral unit-and embed the mask therein. After the stack isbroken down the steel portion of the mask is carefully removed and thesheets are cured and surface finished before removing the paper portionof the mask.

When this procedure is followed it will be apparent that the paperportion of the mask should always bear on its outside face a soluble dyel! of appropriate color to set-off the simulated joints between thetiles in contrast to the color of the tile units. Due to the highlyabsorptive character of the material forming the face or surface of mysheet this soluble dye will .penetrate it to an appreciable extent andwill not be merely transferred to the surface thereof.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiments, it isto be understood that the words which I have used are words ofdescription rather than of limitation. Hence, changes within the purviewof the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scopeand spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is;

1. Those steps in the method of making a wall-tile sheet which compriseforming a backing for said sheet from a suitable plastic composition,covering the zones separating the tile units to be formed on said :sheetwith a mask comprising two separable layers of material, forcing saidmask into said plastic backing by the application of moderate pressureuntil the surface thereof is substantially flush with the surface ofsaid plastic backing, applying to said masked backing, while plastic,the material constituting the face of said tile and concreting it withsaid backing by the application of substantial pressure, removing one ofthe layers of said mask and subjecting the sheet to a curing treatment,and thereafter subjecting the sheet to a surface finishing treatmentbefore removing the balance of the mask.

2. Those steps in the method of making a Wall-tile sheet formed of aplastic cement composition to define separate tile units therein whichcomprise embedding in said sheet while plastic by the application ofpressure and in the zones intended to separate said tile units, a maskcomprising separable layers of sheet-material, removing the upper layerof said mask material, subjecting the sheet with the lower layer of maskmaterial therein to a curing treatment to effect a hardening thereof,subjecting the sheet to a surface finishing treatment and thereafterremoving the balance of the mask.

3. Those steps in the method of making a wall-tile sheet formed of aplastic cement composition to define separate tile units therein whichcomprise embedding in and substantially flush with the surface of saidsheet while plastic by the application of pressure and in the zonesintended to separate said tile units, a mask comprising an upper layerof sheet metal and a lower layer of paper, removing the metal portion ofthe mask from said sheet while plastic while allowing the paper portionto remain, subjecting the sheet to a curing treatment, subjecting it toa surface finishing treatment and thereafter removing the paper portionof the mask.

l. The method of making a wall-tile sheet which comprises forming thebody of said sheet from a plastic composition containing principallyasbestos fibres and calcined magnesite with smaller portions of Portlandcement and bentonite, covering the zones of said body intended tosimulate the joints between the tile units to be formed thereon withamask comprising two separable layers, forcing said .mask into said bodywhile plastic 'by the application of moderate pressure thereto until thesurface thereof is substantially flush with the surface of said plasticbody, applying a layer of a dry mixture containing principally:comminutedmarble and calcined magnesite with smaller portions of whitePortland cement .and .bentonite, over said body with the mask-thereinand concreting said mixture and said plastic body together by theapplication of substantial pressure to form a hard compact unit, thenremoving the top layer of said mask and subjecting the sheet to a curingtreatment with the lower layer of said mask therein, .and thereaftersurface treating said sheet and removing said lower mask layer.

5. Those steps in the method of making a wall-tile sheet whichcompriseforming the sheet of a plastic cement composition, placing amask comprising two separable layers of material over those zonesintended to simulate the joints between the tile units to be formed insaid sheet, simultaneously forming said units and said joints bysubjecting the whole to substantial pressure to force said mask intosaid sheet until its surface is substantially flush with the surface ofsaid sheet and thereafter to effect a compression of said compositioninto a dense unitary product, removing the upper layer of said mask andsubjecting the sheet to a curing treatment, and a surface finishingtreatment and then removing the bottom layer of said mask.

6. The method of making wall-tile sheets which comprises forming aplurality of said sheets from a suitable plastic composition, placingeach of said sheets on a suitable support, placing a mask over thosezones of each sheet intended to define the boundaries between separatetile units thereon, superposing said plastic sheets, with theirsupports, one upon the other, to form a stack, subjecting said stack tocomparatively low pressure but sufficient to force each mask into itsrespective sheet until the surface of said mask is substantially flushwith the surface of said sheet, removing said supported sheets from thestack and applying thereto the material intended to form the face ofsaid tiles, rebuilding said stack, and subjecting it to comparativelyhigh pressure sufficient to concrete the facing material with the bodyof said sheets and to compress each sheet and facing into a denseunitary structure, and thereafter removing said masks.

7. The method of making wall-tile sheets which comprises formingbackings for a plurality of said sheets from a suitable plasticcomposition, placing each of said backings on a suitable support,placing a mask over those zones of each backing intended to define theboundaries between separate tile units thereon, superposing saidbackings with their supports, one upon the other, to form a stack,subjecting the stack to comparatively low pressure but sufficient toforce said masks into said plastic backings until the surface of eachmask is substantially flush with the surface of its respective backing,removing the supported backings from said stack, applying a drycementitious mixture adapted to form the face of said tiles to theunmasked portions of said backings, rebuilding said stack, andsubjecting it to comparatively high pressure sufficient to effect aconcreting together of the facing and backing material into a denseunitary structure, and thereafter removing said masks.

. faces with said backing by the application of pressure sufficient toeffect a coalescence of said facing material and said plastic backinginto a dense unitary sheet, and thereafter removing said mask.

9. Those steps in making a wall-tile sheet comprising a plurality oflayers of water plastic cement composition whereby said layers areconcreted together and separate tile units are simultaneously outlinedtherein which comprises placing a mask having a water-soluble dye on thelower side thereof over those zones of said sheet intended to representthe boundaries of said. units, subjecting the whole to pressuresuflicient first to completely embed said mask in said plastic materialwhereby said dye will be dissolved by the water in said composition andpenetrate said plastic to a substantial depth and then to concrete theplastic layers in the unmasked zones into a dense unitary structure, andthereafter removing said mask.

10. Those steps in the method of making a wall-tile sheet as an articleof commerce which comprise forming a backing for said sheet from asuitable plastic composition, covering the zones separating the tileunits to be formed on said sheet with a mask, forcing said mask intosaid plastic backing by the application of moderate pressure until thesurface of saidmask is substantially flush with the surface of saidbacking, applying to said masked backing while still plastic a drymixture of materials constituting the faces of all of said tile units,simultaneously concreting all of said faces with said backing by theapplication of pressure suflicient to effect a coalescence of saidfacing material and said plastic backing into a dense unitary sheet, andthereafter removing said mask.

11. The method of scoring and simultaneously coloring the scores in awall-tile sheet formed of a water-plastic cement composition to defineseparate tile units thereon which comprises forcing into said sheet,while plastic, and in the zones thereof intended to separate said tileunits, a mask bearing a water-soluble dyeupon the embedded face thereof,whereby said dye will be dissolved by the Water in said composition andpenetrate said plastic to a substantial depth, an thereafter removingsaid mask.

12. The method of making a wall-tile sheet which comprises forming abacking for said sheet of suitable plastic material, forming a facingfor said sheet of plastic material suitable therefor, placing the facingon said backing, and si-, multaneously scoring said facing and applyinga contrasting color to said scores to simulate joints between individualtile units by covering the zones of said facing to be scored with a maskcarrying upon its face adjacent said facing a water-soluble coloringmaterial, subjecting the whole, while plastic, to pressure suificient toforce said mask into said facing until the face thereof is substantiallyflush with said facing and to compact and concrete the facing andbacking together into a hard, dense, unitary structure, and thereafterremoving the mask.

CLEMENTS BATCI-IELLER.

